Texas Supreme Court Says Whistleblower Act Requires Reporting of Hazards to ‘Law Enforcement Authority’

AUSTIN, Texas – The Texas Supreme Court has reaffirmed its holding that the state’s Whistleblower Statute requires that a plaintiff asserting retaliation for reporting alleged worksite hazards must demonstrate a good faith belief that the hazards were reported to a “law enforcement entity” charged with enforcing health and safety standards.

In a per curiam opinion Dec. 13, the high court reversed decisions in favor of school principal Marcellino Franco, who alleges that he was suspended in violation of the Texas Whistleblower Act for reporting workplace hazards to his immediate supervisor, the chief academic officer for the Ysleta Independent School District.